Helen Clark(born in 1950)is the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand.She was in office between 1999 and 2008 and won three consecutive national elections.She is the second longest serving prime minister in NZ's history.In 2008, she won the UN Environment Programme Champions of the Earth award for her plan to make NZ the world's first carbon zero nation.
海伦·克拉克出生于1950年，是新西兰第37任总理。克拉克的执政时间是1999年到2008年，并连续3次赢得全国大选。克拉克是新西兰历史上任职时间第二长的总理。2008年，克拉克计划使新西兰成为世界上首个无碳的国家,她因这个计划获得了联合国环境规划署地球奖的冠军。
Clark grew up in a farming family and she developed a great love for the land.As a teenager, she became politically active.She protested against the Vietnam War and foreign military bases in New Zealand.She graduated from university with a Master's degree in politics in 1974.Her research was based on politics in the countryside.Clark won her first election in 1981.She rose up through the ranks and served in different posts as Minister of Housing, Conservation, Health, and finally as Deputy Prime Minister.She has significantly reformed her country's welfare system.She introduced many popular measures， including raising the minimum wage six times and abolishing interest on student loans.In 2008, Clark signed a landmark agreement that handed back land to the indigenous Maori population.She was a fierce opponent of the invasion of Iraq and criticized American actions.She has forged strong relations with China, whose president calls her an “old friend”.She believes that “it's inevitable that NZ will become a republic” and “reflect the reality thatNZ is a…21st century nation”.
克拉克在牧场长大，她对土地非常热爱。她在少年时就积极投身政治。克拉克反对越南战争，也反对外国军队驻扎在新西兰。克拉克1974年毕业，取得政治专业硕士学位。她研究的是乡村政治。克拉克1981年第一次赢得选举。克拉克先后就任住房部长，资源保护部长，卫生部长，最后担任副总理，一步步高升。克拉克最大的成就是改革了国家的福利系统。克拉克采取了许多受欢迎的措施，包括把最低工资提高至原来的六倍，免除学生贷款利息。2008年，克拉克签署了一份里程碑式的协议，把土地还给土著居民毛利人。克拉克坚决反对伊拉克战争，并谴责美国的军事行动。克拉克与中国建立了稳固的外交关系，中国主席称她为“老朋友”。她相信“新西兰注定会成为共和国家。”，“反映了这样一个现实，新西兰是一个…21世纪的国家。”
译文属秀哈英语原创，未经允许，不得转载。
